The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Authorization Act (H.R. 2406) authorizes ICE for the first time in law and ensures its core mission is the enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws. Notably, the bill makes targeted reforms to both Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) within ICE to maximize their efficiency and effectiveness. It also codifies the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement Office (VOICE), an office created by the Trump Administration to provide access to information and resources to victims of crimes committed by removable aliens as well as to the families of victims.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Reauthorization Act (H.R. 2407) reauthorizes the agency, which is tasked with processing immigrant and nonimmigrant benefits petitions for those seeking temporary visas, lawful permanent residence, international adoption, and others. USCIS also adjudicates naturalization applications and manages the E-Verify system.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte issued the following statement on the introduction of these bills.

“The United States has a generous immigration system and has become home for millions of people seeking to live the American dream, grow our economy, and flee persecution. We have a duty to ensure our immigration laws are enforced, operate efficiently, and work in the national interest. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has never been authorized in the law, and it’s past time that we do so. My bill ensures a core mission of ICE is to enforce our immigration laws in order to protect public safety and national security, and to maintain the integrity of our immigration system. Additionally, the USCIS Reauthorization Act reauthorizes the agency and improves the agency’s mission.

“In addition to reauthorizing these two agencies, we also need to make a number of changes to our laws to improve immigration enforcement and prevent fraud and abuse in the system. I look forward to bringing the ICE Authorization Act and the USCIS Reauthorization Act before the House Judiciary Committee in the coming weeks.”